Tire demounting tool



, J. R. FOSTER 3,056,449

Oct. 2, 1962 TIRE: DEMOUNTING TOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 18, 1960 //v VEN Tof? JAMES FOSTER ATTOENE Ys Oct. 2, 1962 J. R. FOSTER TIRE DEMOUNTING TOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 18, 1960 /N VENTO/2 JAMES F05 Tfr/J ATTO@ NE V5 3,95%,449 Patented Get. 2, 1962 3,556,449 TRE DEMUUN'UNG T0111 James R. Foster, Fort Dodge, iowa, assignor to The Coats Eompany, inc., Fort Dodge, iowa, a corporation of Iowa Filed duly 18, 1966, Ser. No. 43,521 2 Claims. (Ci. IS7- 1.22)

This invention relates generally to tire handling apparatus and in particular to a tool for removing the bead of a tire out of engagement with an associated rim flange of a wheel rim.

It is now a usual practice in the mounting and demounting of a tire from a wheel rim to provide a horizontal table support for a tire and wheel assembly, wherein the table has an upright post extended axially upwardly through the wheel assembly. With the assembly supported on the table the tire beads are initially broken away yfrom complementary rim flanges or portions, after which a bead is moved or lifted out of the drop center or rim well to permit removal of the tire from the assembly. This latter operation is usually accomplished by inserting one end of a demounting tool between the tire and bead so that with the tool fulcrumed against the center or upright post, pivotal swinging movement of the tool results in the raising of the bead out of the drop Center. However, due to the raising of the bead only at the inserted tool end, the bead has a tendency to fall back into the rim well in a following relation with the tool. The occurrence of such a condition is both aggravating and inconvenient, and results in appreciable loss of time in a tire removing operation.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide an improved tire demounting tool for removing a tire bead from an associated rim flange.

A further object is to provide a tire demounting tool embodying a bead support which is adapted, after a portion of a bead has been removed out of the drop center of the rim, to hold such bead portion against dropping back into the drop center.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tire demounting tool for removing a tire bead from the drop center of an associated rim wherein such removal of the bead and the support of the bead against returning or falling back into the drop center is performed in a single continuous operation.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the ,accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tire handling machine with which the demounting tool of this invention may be used;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tire demounting tool of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a tire and wheel assembly supported on the machine of FIG. 1, and showing the tire demounting tool of this invention in operative relation therewith; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective View, illustrated similarly to FIG. 3, and showing an attachment for the tool of this invention for mounting a tire on a wheel.

With reference to FIG. l of the drawing there is illustrated `a tire handling machine, indicated generally at 1t), and including a base 11 and an upright tubular leg 12 or standard for rotatably supporting a horizontal circular wheel-carrying table 13. Coaxial with the table 13 and projected upwardly from the standard 12 is an upright post 14 which functions to center a tire and wheel assembly, designated generally as 16, on the table 13. The tire 17 of the assembly 16 includes upper and lower beads, only the upper bead 18 being illustrated in FIG. 1, and the wheel 19 includes the usual .rim 21 having a pair of rim flanges 22 (only one of which is shown) defining a rim well or drop center 23 therebetween. The table 13 is of a size to receive conventional vehicle wheels for twelve through sixteen inch tires.

The tire and wheel assembly 16 is maintained against movement from a centered position on the table 13 by means including a lockdown or clamping unit 24 operatively associated with the upright post 14, and a holding pin 26 inserted through one of the usual screw openings 27' formed in the wheel 19.

Securety mounted on one side of the standard 12 is a dual action bead breaking assembly 27 which includes generally a lower bead breaking unit 28 (only a portion of which is shown), a double acting pneumatically powered cylinder unit 29, a parallel link unit 31 having a connecting link 32, and an upright support 33 provided adjacent its upper end 34 with a rotatable upper bead breaking unit 36.

Mounted within the standard 12 is a pneumatically powered piston and cylinder unit (not shown) operatively associated with the table 13 so that during the working stroke of Athe piston the table 13 is rotated in one direction. This machine is fully described in my co-pending application entitled Tire Handling Machine tiled May 27, 1960, Serial No. 32,289, which matured into Patent Number 3,042,090.

In the breaking of the tire beads away from their associated rim tlanges 22, the operation of the bead breaking units 28 and 36 is controlled by a valve unit 3'7 of foot type operatively associated with the cylinder unit 29 to control the admission and release of air under pressure thereto. With the upper bead breaking unit 36 manually rotated to its position shown in FIG. 1 and on actuation of the control valve 37 the link unit 31 and in turn the lower bead breaking unit 28 are moved upwardly, whereby the lower tire bead (not shown) is engaged by the bead unit 28 and moved away from a complementary portion of its associated rim flange 22, and into the rim drop center or well 23. During this upward movement of the lower bead breaking unit 28, the upper bead breaking unit 36 is also elevated by the action of the link unit 31 and connecting link 32, and their connection with the upright shaft member 33.

To break the upper bead 18 the top bead breaking unit 3o is manually rotated relative to the shaft 33 into a bead engaging position, and is then moved downwardly on actuation of the foot valve 37. As is well known, after a single bead breaking operation a bead may besuiliciently loosened so that the entire bead of the tire can be manually pushed into the rim well 23. However, should this not be possible, the bead breaking operation can be repeated over different parts of the tire 17 by merely actuating the foot valve 3S, which controls the operation of the piston and cylinder assembly (not shown) for rotating the table 13.

The tire demounting tool of this invention, designated generally as 39 in FIG. 2, is used to remove the tire beads out of the rim well 23, after they have been broken away from the rim and are within the rim well 23 as illustrated in FIG. l. This tool 39 includes an elongated cylindrical handle or body member 41 formed with a flat end section 42 of a rectangular shape in transverse section. Adjacent the terminal end 43 of the flat end section 42, and in one side 44 of the end section there is formed a longitudinally extended notch or recess 46 for receiving an elongated bead engaging roller 47 substantially within the dimensional contines of the flat end section 42.

Spaced inwardly from the roller 47 and rotatably supported on a shaft 4S, positioned between the sides 44 and 49 of the end section 42 and extended normal to the 2:3 roller 47, is a second bead engaging roller 5l. As shown in FIG. 2 the roller El is of a diameter substantially equal to the width or transverse dimension of the ilat end section 42.

Carried on the body member `41 at a position inwardly of the iiat end section 42 and projected transversely in a direction outwardly from the side 49 of the flat end section 42 is a mounting bracket or arm 52 for a swingable bead supporting unit 53. As illustrated in FIG. 2 the unit 53 has a bifurcated end section 54 arranged in a straddling relation with the free end 56 or" the mounting bracket or dat arm 52, to which it is pivotally connected by a pivot 57 extended laterally of the at end section ft2 in a parallel relation with the shaft 4S for the roller 5ft. The opposite end section 53 `of the bead supporting member 53 is oi; a rod form having a diameter substantially equal to the thickness or lateral dimension of the flat end section 42.

The `section 58 is of an angulate shape so as to have relatively inclined portions 59 and di, and is of a length such that when the bead supporting unit 53 is swung inwardly from its dotted line position shown in FiG. 2 toward the roller El, the tree end portion 59 lies in a back-to-back or parallel relation with the side 49 of the handle ilat end section 42 and substantially within the contines of the lateral dimension of the flat end section 42, as shown in full lines in FIG. 2. Also it will be seen that the free terminal end 62 ot the bead supporting, member S3 is substantially iiush with the terminal end i3 of the hat end section 42.

ln the use of the demounting tool 39 of this invention, assume that the wheel and tire assembly i6 is in a supported position on the table i3 of the machine lil, with the tire beads broken away from the rim flanges 22, as illustrated in FiG. l. With the bead supporting arm 53 in its full line position shown in FlG. 2, the handle end section 4i, remote from the liat end section 42, is manually grasped and manipulated to insert the end section 42 between the rim iiange 22 and tire bead id to a position delined by the engagement of the roller Sil with a bead l@ (FiG. 3). By using the rim iiange 22 as a fulcrum, in a manner well known, and then bearing down on the handle section 4i, that portion of the bead i3 extended across the dat section 42 is moved out of the rim Well 23 and over the top side 63 of the rim flange 22 to a position out of the well and free of engagement with the inner peripheral side 64 of the rim liange 22, as shown in FIG. 3.

The handle or body member 39, as also shown in FIG. 3, is fulcrumed against one side of the upright post i4 and engaged with the upper end 34 of the shaft 33 so as to be wedged or held tixed between such upright miembers. On actuation of the foot control valve 38, the table i3 and in turn the tire and wheel assembly i6 are rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Pi. 3, whereby the tire bead i3 is rotated relative to the tool 39. As a result of this relative movement the upper bead llt is progressively moved out of the rim well 23 and over the top side 63 of the rim liange 22 concurrently with the swinging or pivotal movement of the bead supporting unit 53 away from the flat end section 42 of the handle member 39.

As ypreviously mentioned, on initial insertion of the tool end section 42 between the rim flange 22 and the bead iti, a portion of the bead 1S is lifted over the rirn liange to a supported position adjacent the roller Si and on the top of the handle end section 42. The bead portion, indicated as l8r: in FIG. 3, first lifted over the rim flange 22 is also supported in part on the unit 53. On rotation of the tire 17 relative to the tool 39, such bead portion ida remains supported on the unit 53 against movement back into the rim well 23 and functions to retain successively moved portions of the bead i8 out of the rim well 23, by serving as what might be termed a A first anchor, with the fiat section 42 serving as a second anchor, to provide for the moved section of the bead forming a chord relative to the rim ilange 22 as clearly appears in FIG. 3.

This action ot the unit 53 to support the bead 1d continues until the terminal end 62 of the unit 53 has been moved out of engagement with the top side 63 ot the rim liange 22. However, when such disengagement occurs a sutiicient length of the bead in has been lifted out of the well 23, in a chord relation with the rim flange 22, to positively prevent slippage of the lifted bead portion baci; into the well. The remaining portions of the bead may usually be manually moved out of the well. if this manual movement proves diiiicult it is only necessary to continue with the rotation of the table i3 to move a greater ength of the bead id out of the well 23.

When the upper bead iti has been removed from the rim well 23, and out of engagement with its associated rim iiange 22, the lower bead (not shown) is brought against the rim frange 22, normally associated with the upper bead i3, and then moved thereover in a manner similar in all respects to the removal of the upper bead l from the rim 2l.

Where a tire handling machine is used having a stationary table i3 with an upright center post i4, the tool 39 is operated in a manner similar to that just described, except that after the handle member 39 has been fulcrumed againt the post t4, the handle section 4l is manually gripped and pulled toward the post to etiect a rotational or pivotal movement of the iiat end section 42 relative to the wheel assembly i6. During this movement of the tool the bead supporting unit 53 remains stationary and the 'lat end section 42 is moved away therefrom.

To replace the tire in upon the wheel rim i9 the tool 39 (liG. 2) is provided at its end section di with a tire mounting device 7l. which includes a shank member 72 secured to and extended axially outwardly from the end section 4l and terminating in a pair ot oppositely extended hook members 73 and 7d which are relatively inclined in a direction transversely of the shank. 72.

in use, the hook 73 is extended into hooked engagement with the rim flange 22, as illustrated in FG. 4, whereby the hook 74 extends upwardly therefrom at an angle so as to be in what might be called a leading relation relative to the hook 73 when the tool end 4l is moved in a clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow in IFiG. 4. The concave surface portion, indicated at '76 in FIG. 2, forms an inclined slide for guiding the tire bead 13 from a position above the rim iiange 22 into a position below the iiange 22 and within the rim well 23. This movement of the bead ltd takes place when the handle 39 is fulcrurned against the upright post i4 and the handle section 4l moved in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 4.

Although the upper bead i8 is illustrated in FlG. 4 as being moved into an engaged position with the rim flange 22, it is to be understood that the lower bead of the tire is initially moved into the rim well 23, in the same manner as described above for the upper bead l.

Although the invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited since changes can be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A tool for removing a tire from a wheel and tire assembly supported on a stand having an upright post projected outwardly from the center of said assembly wherein the wheel of said assembly has a rim and the tire of said assembly has bead members, said tool comprising an elongated handle having a flat end section, a lateral projection for engaging a bead member spaced inwardly from the terminal end of said end section, means swingably supported on said handle section about an axis extended in the direction of said projection and including a free end portion movable in the plane of said at end section to a rst position extended in a side by side relation -with said ilat end section, and to a second position inclined `outwardly from said handle with said end portion and end section being of substantially the same thickness, whereby when said end portion, in the first position thereof, is insertable between complementary portions of the wheel rim and a bead member to an extent defined by the engagement of said projection with a bead member, and said handle is fulcrumed against said post, relative movement between the handle and said assembly provides for the progressive positioning of said end portion to the second position therefor so that successive portions of the tire bead engaged by the handle end section are moved over the rim and then retained in said moved position by said end portion.

2. A tool for removing a tire from a wheel and tire assembly supported on a stand having an upright post projected outwardly Ifrom the center of said assembly and wherein the wheel of said assembly has a rim and the `tire of said assembly a bead, said tool comprising an elongated handle having a Hat end section insertable between complementary portions of said bead and rim, means on said end section engageable with a bead to limit the insertion of said end section between said bead and said rim, a projection on said handle spaced from; said end section and extended in a direction transversely of said end section, a pivoted bead supporting arm of an angulate shape having a free end section and a pivoted end section, means pivoting the pivoted end section on said projection for pivotal movement of said arm in the plane of said at end section, said arm being pivotally movable to a first position wherein said free end section is against said flat end section, and extended parallel to said handle, and to a second position wherein said free end 4section is inclined outwardly from said handle, said free end section and said dat end section being of substantially the same thickness so that when said arm is in the tirst position therefor, said free end section constitutes a transverse extension of said at end section for insertion between said rim and said bead whereby, after insertion and with said handle fulcrurned against said post, a relative rotational movement between said handle end section and assembly provides for the raising of said bead over the rim and onto said supporting arm concurrently with a relative swingable movement of said at end section -away from said supporting arm.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 620,836 Bennett May 7, 1899 2,189,683 Schultz Feb. 6, 1940 2,201,982 Bazarek May 28, 1940 2,505,172 Coats Apr. 25, 1950 2,712,350 Henderson July 5, 1955 2,903,050 Lewis i Sept. 8, 1959 

